Facebook Event Page

Going to the festival? Have a Facebook? You probably do, so attend on the event page!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148799031808304

Local Record Reviewed in Musique Machine

Roger Batty of Musique Machine was kind enough to do a review of a local tape set released on Absence Tapes!

Check out a review of Santa Ana Harsh Noise Wall project Tinieblas over at Musique Machine.

http://musiquemachine.com/reviews/reviews_template.php?id=2751

Feature: Yuko Imada 'Drowning'

XWXPXMX: Anti-music for the soul performing at this year's festival

XWXPXMX is the Orange County based project of Ryan and Gabe from local punk band Leash Kids, Bucket of Scum and various others. The approach here is more raw and not necessarily directed towards meeting noise 'guidelines' but rather letting their extreme outbursts of energy and abuse of sound project raw harsh noise.




You guys participated in last year's noise festival, how did you like it and what are you looking forward to this year?

Last years festival was more of an experiment in itself, majority of the crowd [being a curious walk-in crowd] found it very grotesque, and indespicable! most of the crowd was the noise band and the friends of noise bands itself! All in all, the best part was expressing and collaborating our many facets and perceptions on "music itself." This year we are looking forward to the many bands/projects/artists performing and working on our unique performance as well. We also enjoy the publicity it is getting!



How did you become interested in noise and who are your major influences?

gabe [the other member] showed me a glenn branca video a few years back, and it was awesome! influentially, we do not really related or compare ourselves to other musicians. In simple context, we try to make music out of an erratic selection of objects and sounds! In other words,our main influences would be none other than the sounds/atmosphere created by our surroundings!



You guys are part of other really interesting projects could you tell us about those?

We've had several other noise/experimental projects:
outside of XWXPXMX we've had:
PEOPLE: a no-wave collaboration using several distortions and effects(hiatus)
Bucket of Scum: noisy violent shit-core (Dormant)
MANTRA: a solo project using a "band" setup making experimental music (in progress)
anal anus: a solo project usin household sounds (dormant)
Imploding Walri: dadaistic music



XWXPXMX performs at this year's noise festival along fellow orange county noise heads Yuko Imada, Six Mystic Points and many more. Be sure to check them out as they return for another harsh noise assault!

check out their myspace at
http://www.myspace.com/xwxpxmx
http://www.myspace.com/swinginallnight

Sunken Landscapes: Lucid, psychedelic, and mind altering noise to sweep over the festival

Sunken Landscapes is the inner working of one Andy Summers, a Long Beach resident who will be performing at this year's festival. Sunken Landscapes' approach to noise is distinct in that it dwells on the psychedelic, although the aesthetic of noise is still ever present. The end result is one that can be likened to a drug trip; mind bending, conscious altering, and at times, meditative.

Your approach to guitar/pedal-based noise is quite unique from that of other artists. What can you attest your sound to?

Each jam is an endless search and exploration of sound and just creating it and building upon it and morphing it into something completely weird in that particular moment in time. It's at the point now where it's almost like a spiritual connection with the unknown universes through sound. That and some really great pedals and a head full of psychedelic thoughts.

When was the first time you experienced noise music? What was your reaction and how did you end up wanting to create it?

I found a used copy of Black Dice's Miles of Smiles for like 3 or 4 bucks about 7 or 8 years ago and checked it out. I was into weirdo punk and weird psych stuff before that but when I put on that record it blew my mind into pieces. Shortly after I picked up everything I could get on wax by them and they're still one of my favorite bands ever.

Your label, Nihil Underground, has a very wide variety of artists. If you could release any artist you desire, who would it be?

Dude, that's tough. Maybe some really weird, old Residents demos or Smegma.

Sunken Landscapes currently has several new releases out now. The Worlds Unknown CDr, Cosmic Travels CDr, and On the Sea of Tranquility c30 can all be purchased through Nihil Underground, with the Tropical Wasteland c20 to soon be out on Obeast Tapes. He will also be releasing a  new 3"/collage at the festival limited to 10 copies. Each 3" will have a unique recording and collage. Be sure to pick up a copy!

Myspace (Band):  http://www.myspace.com/sunkenlandscapes
Myspace (Label): http://www.myspace.com/nihilunderground
Bandcamp: http://sunkenlandscapes.bandcamp.com/

Ellen Degenerate: Nomadic harsh noise psychadelia performs at this year's festival

Ellen Degenerate is the nomadic noise project of Vincent Catanho. Once based in Orange County, currently residing in Los Angeles County, but always making his way back to the local scene. His projects have always varied in style, but never fail to satisfy during a live set.



You had a project prior to this called sloppy cock that was more of an extreme noise/punk band, what made you change direction and name of your project?

Taking less drugs changed my direction. Around that time I was taking lots of psychedelics and it didn't exactly make me a hippie. I was pissed off and Sloppy Cock was all about hate and the drugs gave me confidence to offend people. I wanted to blow out their eardrums and crush them with dissonance. After that summer, I moved to Hawaii for a year and mellowed out. I continued to make harsh noise but slowly integrated more music into my recordings. When I moved back to Santa Ana, John (drums) and Paul (guitar) were too involved with their main project Nasa Space Universe to make time for Sloppy, as they should've been. Me and Paul tried doing Sloppy by ourselves but it wasn't as satisfying. As for my new direction, there really isn't one. When I listen to the last tape I put out, it sounds like a compilation. And even though I've only played a handful of shows, none of them were the same. Sometimes its trance, sometimes its psyche and sometimes its really cheesy pop. As for the name, its just a stupid pun. I like stupid puns.

You've participated in most of the local noise shows that we've organized in the past. Do you feel the noise scene is developing more than it was before?

I'm not really sure how the scene is doing. I don't live in Orange County anymore and never go to shows there unless Nasa is playing. I guess its developed more with Steven setting up shows and Moribund Tree Records but other than that I don't know. I kind of hate Los Angeles too, but its a great place for shows. Orange County doesn't have enough people that like noise or experimental music to keep up with LA shows and I'm not sure if it ever will. But the good news is that it seems like each noise fest is bigger than the last.



You recently started a label, Funky Brewski, how is that going?

Its going. So far there's been five releases. The last release was a cd reissue of the first Ellen tape that also included unreleased stuff, songs from the Funky Brewski Vol. 1 comp and songs from the last tape Sementics. I'm also working on a VietMAN tape (Nasa Space Universe's d-beat side project including myself on bass) and some new Ellen stuff. Its all coming together slower than I would like but I've been busy with other things. Ellen and Funky Brewski have become side projects. My main focuses right now are playing drums in my new band Future Shock and recording other bands for money.



You missed out on the last santa ana noise festival, is there anything you're looking forward to this time around?

I don't recognize half of the names on the flyer so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing them play. I'm also looking forward to meeting new people and hopefully selling some stuff. I have a brand new set to debut as well and it is guaranteed to get your ass shaking and covering your ears at the same time.


Ellen Degenerate will perform at the second annual noise festival and will also be contributing artworks to the noise inspired art show. Check out his label Funky Brewski and support his various projects by coming to the show!

www.myspace.com/funkybrewski
www.myspace.com/ellendegenerationx

Local record label Moribund Tree gets featured on OC Weekly

Lilledeshan Bose was kind enough to get some words from S. over at Moribund Tree. A small feature was posted on the website and some follow up questions about the festival were sent to her so hopefully we see it here soon!

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/incoming/meet-moribund-tree/